THE elimination and sashing of the Miss Teen Jamaica 2015/16 contestants will be at the New Kingston Conference Centre located inside the New Kingston Shopping Mall on Dominica Drive, St Andrew, on Sunday.

Start time: 7:00 pm.

“There’ll be 20 girls and we will be selecting 12 of them. Most importantly, it’s not a beauty contest. The girls will be judged on intelligence, talent, discipline, congeniality, culture, the practice of Christian principles, among other things,” said Janet Sinclair, conceptualiser of Miss Teen Jamaica which is now in its 35th year.

Sinclair said the prize package a big pull for many of this year’s entrants.

“At least 90 per cent of the girls have an interest in the scholarship prize,” she told Sunday Observer.

According to Sinclair, the scholarship is valued at $1 million at the University of College of the Caribbean in St Andrew.

“A $500,000 scholarship will be awarded to the winner; $300,000 for the first runner-up; and $200,000 for the second runner-up. The winner will also get a trip to the United States,” she said.

The competition is open to girls from all the parishes between the ages 13 to 17. The finals of the event is expected in August.

The reigning Miss Teen Jamaica is Campion College’s sixth former Meca-Gaye Francis.

The tonight’s event will feature former Digicel Rising Star runner-up Nickesha Barnes and veteran dub poet Keith Shepherd.

Sponsors of Miss Teen Jamaica include Singer Jamaica, Charles Chocolate and GK Motors.

— BB